Normandale Elementary’s graduating fifth grade class created a mural last spring that will be cherished for years to come. Photos: Chelsie Lopez
Normandale Elementary’s new mural showcases the importance of collaboration and creativity.
Students and staff at Normandale Elementary School were welcomed back to school last fall with a burst of color. A new mural—which began as the brainstorm of a teacher and a parent—is a vibrant testament to creativity, community and the power of art. Freddie Senn, a current sixth grader who graduated from the French immersion school last spring, was one of the students who worked on the mural. “I liked getting a break from academic work and doing something fun—art—with my friends,” Freddie says. “It was fun to have freedom in what we could make that would become a part of the mural.”
It was Freddie’s mom, Kim Senn, whose guidance brought the mural to life. Senn, an artist by trade who runs Senn & Sons, was volunteering with Freddie’s class last February when she mentioned her work to them. “I told them about a project I was doing for my job, which was a mural at Spoon & Stable.”
Ears perked up, including those of fifth grade teacher Sarah Kiel. “I’d had this dream of doing a mural painting with students in my classroom,” Kiel says. “I had never really gotten it up and running.” She mentioned her dream to Senn, who immediately offered to help kick-start a project.
Teacher Sarah Kiel (top left) with some of the students who contributed to the mural.
After some logistical discussions with school administrators, the team decided to install the mural in the upper grades’ hallway/collaborative space and to involve all of the fifth grade classes in the project. When Senn first introduced the idea to the students, the excitement was palpable. A sanctioned opportunity to paint on the walls? Say no more!
They dove headfirst into brainstorming, writing down their ideas on sticky notes. “We had such varied and interesting ideas,” Kiel says. “Kim was so validating every step of the way, making sure each student felt like their contribution mattered.” Senn ultimately decided to build around the theme “our favorite things.”
“I think having that sense of ownership really kept them engaged,” Senn says. “I wanted them to understand that this was their mural.” With colorful construction paper, each student built a paper-cut representation of an object or idea that was meaningful to them. Then, Senn scanned and enlarged each image and knit them all together in a mockup—like a digital collage—of the mural. She printed out reference sheets and projected the template onto the walls, where each element was outlined by hand.
A student proudly showcases their design on paper alongside its vibrant transformation onto the wall.
Next, it was time to paint. “I went to Hirshfield’s and got our palette of 12 different colors,” Senn says. She, along with other parents and school staff, volunteered to clean brushes, manage paint drips and support the fifth graders during their painting shifts. It wasn’t logistically possible for each student to paint their own part of the collage, so Senn emphasized the importance of trust and collaboration. “They really had to trust each other and do their very best,” she says.
One highlight of the mural is the phrase on peut travailler dur (“We can work hard,” or “We can do hard things.”), a longtime mantra of Kiel’s classroom. “It reminds us that we are a community, that we can have fun and celebrate as a community, that we can do hard things as a community,” Kiel says.
For Senn, the project was more than just a chance to bring art into the school; it was about fostering a sense of pride and connection. “I think it shows them that they can leave their mark on the world, and it doesn’t have to be perfect—it’s the process that matters,” she says.
When I asked what future Normandale students will think about the mural, which was completed at the end of the 2023–24 school year, Freddie says, “They’ll think it’s cool and wonder how it got there. I think they’ll stop and stare!”
Learn more about the project at normandalemural.com.
Normandale Elementary
5701 Normandale Road; 952.848.4100
Senn & Sons
Instagram: @sennandsons
